The Trial

A/N all quotes in [~] are spoken Japanese for sake of ease of typing.

"Alex-chan, Misa-chan," Asuka announced her presence by knocking on the girls' door. "Captain McElroy wants to know if we will come to the Ark Royal."

"What for?" Alex grumbled. She held Misa close to her chest, afraid she would slip away and get hurt again.

Asuka smirked. "The Navy has Misa-chan's attackers. We are invited to sit in on the tribunal."

Misa rolled to face Alex. "Does your eye hurt, sweetie?" Alex whispered.

Misa rubbed her face gingerly. "Sometimes, but not as much as the first day."

"Do you want to go?" Alex asked.

Misa fell silent as she stared into Alex's eyes. "I do, if nothing else, for closure. I got it for my step-father, now I want this as far behind me as possible."

Alex smiled and gently kissed Misa's lips, careful to avoid undue pressure on the healing cut.

"We'll be out in a sec'," Alex called through the door.

"Don't take too long," Asuka cautioned. "We have to be there this afternoon."

[Oi, get up!] White gently kicked at Majima as he dosed against the railing. The sailor on guard suppressed a smile. [Your reckoning is at hand.]

Majima struggled to stand, but his game leg made it difficult. [A hand, gentlemen, please?]

White sighed, holstered his pistol and offered a hand up. [Can't keep the hangman waiting,] he said.

The sailor fell into step behind Majima as he followed White. The procession led to the hangar deck elevator where Shinagawa and Chiba stood, each with his own guard.

[Such a fuss over an old man,] Majima said. [Was this really necessary?]

[We pinched you for rape and assault,] White said. [Them two are going down for accessory. You, old boy, are in deeper shit.]

Blake, Pegg and Evans met with White and Seaman Craig and walked their prisoners onto the elevator.

The lift took the assembled men to the flight deck where they were met with a full color guard. Captain McElroy had a desk set up near the control island, the Union Jack fluttering in the breeze. The assembled ship's crew stood at attention as Marine Captain de Souza led the accused to their chairs before McElroy's desk. He ensured they were seated, but left the cuffs in place.

"With our formal communications deputy away on duty, I will have to rely on the expertise of Headmistress Kuroi Nanako," de Souza announced.

Kuroi-sensei took her place in a chair beside and to the left the Captain's desk. To his right, his steward acted as secretary to the proceedings, taking careful and complete notes of the tribunal. Blake snapped to attention.

[Attention on Deck! These Admiralty proceedings are hereby called to order.] Kuroi-sensei translated. [The Crown brings charges of rape, sexual misconduct, assault and battery and lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor against Majima Minato. The Crown brings charges of accessory and criminal conspiracy to commit rape, accessory and criminal conspiracy to commit sexual misconduct, accessory and criminal conspiracy to commit assault and battery and accessory and criminal conspiracy to commit lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor against Chiba Masato and Shinagawa Seiya. The Crown brings charges of lese-majesty - offence against the dignity of Her Britannic Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain in the knowing and willful commission of the aforementioned crimes against the ward of a member of Her Majesty's Armed Forces Abroad against Majima Minato, Chiba Masato and Shinagawa Seiya. The accused shall stand.]

The three men stood, Majima looking defiant, Chiba ashamed and Shinagawa scared out of his wits.

"Attention on Deck!" Blake shouted once again as Captain McElroy exited the control Island. He took his time before seating himself behind his desk. He placed his reading glasses on his nose and regarded the men standing before him.

[Be seated.] he said in rusty, yet functional Japanese. "Headmistress Kuroi Nanako will provide translation services in the absence of Corporal JD Davis, is that correct?"

Kuroi-sensei nodded. "Yes, Captain. I have a Level Two English proficiency from the Japanese MInistry of Education."

"Very good," McElroy said. He then turned and faced his secretary. "Mr. Simpson, my adjutant, will be transcribing these proceedings and entering them into the ship's log."

He took his time to read the notes prepared by de Souza, Blake and Sharpe. "I must say, this is quite the list of grievances against you, gentlemen," McElroy said as Kuroi-sensei translated. "That these charges have been leveled by the ward of a soldier in Her Majesty's Army, and corroborated through testimony leaves me with little doubt what the verdict shall be."

[These charges are false!] Majima spat. [They are the result of torture, pure and simple!]

"Nurse Yoshida Yuuko, please step forward," McElroy called. As bidden, Nurse Yoshida stood before the Captain.

"When these men returned from interrogation, you examined them, correct?"

"Yes, Captain."

"How did you find them?"

"Physically, there was nothing wrong with them."

"Any signs of torture or physical abuse?"

"No, Captain."

"Thank you, Nurse Yoshida. You may return to your seat."

Yoshida turned and returned to her chair in the audience. Majima fumed at the implications He rounded on his erstwhile compatriots. [These men ratted out an innocent man to save their own skins! They are the guilty parties!]

Chiba returned the favor. [That's not the tune you sang while fucking the girl!]

Majima collapsed into his chair. Chiba instantly shut his mouth as Shinagawa prayed in earnest. Kuroi-sensei held her hand to her mouth while an agitated murmur went up in the assembled audience.

McElroy cocked an eyebrow at Kuroi-sensei's translation. "It seems we have a confession from the accused. Have you anything more to say?"

Silence, only the breeze whistling across the deck.

"Very well," McElroy continued. "Before I pass sentence, have the accused any last words or requests?"

Majima stood from his chair. [The little bitch had it coming. Running about with that half-breed daughter of a whore in an immoral relationship while the human race dies each day. May the seed I planted in her belly serve to remind her of her place in the scheme of things.]

"Fuck you, you little mother-fucker!" The scream came from the lower watch deck of the control Island, directly above McElroy's desk. A slight scuffle ensued as Alex tried desperately to wrench free of the sailor escorting her. "I'll fucking kill you for what you did!"

McElroy cleared his throat. "Please secure the witness, Mr. Carrew. She is disrupting the proceedings."

De Souza nodded to Blake who then took off at a run to the island. Shortly, the struggle stopped. McElroy cleared his throat once more. "The law is clear on this point. Since you are all found guilty of the crimes with which you have been charged, you are also guilty in extension of disrupting the peace and security of a safe enclave in time of war. As civilians, I can't hang you, damn it all. However, I shall defer to The Code as set forth by Captains Morgan and Bartholomew."

He waited as Kuroi-sensei translated for the accused. She finished and nodded to him.

"At first light, you shall be taken by Merlin to the southern coast of Kyushu and there deposited with one day's rations to face your future marooned. These Admiralty proceedings are closed. Marines, take the prisoners to the brig and hold them over night. The rest are dismissed to duty stations. That is all."

De Souza snapped to attention. "Attention on Deck!" he shouted and all service members snapped a salute.

Midshipman Carrew, meanwhile had escorted Alex, Misa and Asuka into the Command and Control room and bid them seated. McElroy stepped in a few minutes after the trial ended.

"You caused quite the commotion, young lady," McElroy said to Alex. "What happened to the calm and confident young woman I sent on a fool's errand into Osaka all those weeks ago?"

Alex cast her eyes to the deck and remained silent. "No matter," McElroy said calmly. "Miss Kinoshita's attackers will not trouble us any further."

"Sir, if I may?" Alex asked quietly. "I heard the sentencing and you referred to The Code of Morgan and Bartholomew...didn't that come from a certain Disney movie about pirates?"

McElroy tried and failed to suppress a smile. "It would seem I am a bit of a fan like yourselves, Miss Schweiger. Granted, not quite legitimate, but I acted within my rights and duties as commanding officer of this settlement. I upheld the peace and security and got rid of the disruption."

"Yeah, but using a movie reference?" Alex pressed gently. "Won't you get in trouble for that?"

McElroy smiled. "Even if that were the case, my actions are justified and will hold up to scrutiny. You needn't concern yourself over my fate, young lady. I'll get on just as I always have. Plus aircraft carrier commanders seem to be in short supply right now."

"Sir, if I may impose?" Asuka asked. "What word of my husband?"

"Mrs. Phillips, correct?"

Asuka nodded.

"Rest assured, madam that your husband is in the best of health," McElroy said. "There have been no reports of casualties since this operation began last week."

Asuka smiled, bowed and herded the girls out of the CNC. "And one more thing, Miss Schweiger," McElroy called after them. "You don't get to be captain without some craftiness." Alex could be heard snickering down the corridors as McElroy slumped into his chair.

"Sir, the girl is right," Midshipman Carrew said as he closed the bulkhead behind them. "That wasn't exactly legal."

"Under normal circumstances, I would agree wholeheartedly, Mr. Carrew," McElroy sighed. "Sadly, these are not normal circumstances."

Carrew said nothing more.

"I hope Shaun is okay up there," Asuka fretted as she and the girls strolled to their bungalow. "Over a week and no word."

Alex held Misa close by and squeezed her hand. "I love you," she whispered.

"And I you," Misa whispered back.